David Moore

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The portrait will strike some as incongruous. Others will shake their heads in disbelief.

What follows is titled, Jerry Jones, the study of a patient man.

That's right. The Cowboys owner can't always be a force of nature. Sometimes, he must pause to catch his breath.

But why pause during the first full week of free agency, you ask? Don't the Cowboys risk falling behind the competition?

Not really.

Slightly more than half the teams in the league have jumped into the free-agent pool at this point. Of the 17 teams that have signed free agents who weren't on their rosters at the end of the season, guess how many were in the playoffs?

Two.

Are you really upset that Indianapolis got to guard Andy Alleman and the Cowboys didn't? Are you wringing your hands that Cincinnati was able to add former Cowboys receiver Antonio Bryant to their roster?

The perception that Jones always jumps into the free-agent market at the opening bell simply isn't true. He has taken a more judicious approach the last several years and has been pleased with the results.

If Jones feels the need to strike quickly, he will. He's proved that.

But that's not what the Cowboys need this off-season.

It's amusing. A consistent criticism of Jones in past years has been that he will add a high-profile player or two with no regard for what it means to team chemistry.

These Cowboys have good chemistry. They have struck a nice balance between young and old. Their blueprint is sound.

Yet the question persists, why haven't the Cowboys been a player in this free-agent market?

"The real opportunity comes along when it's not orchestrated and the opportunity is there," Jones said. "That's how we got La'Roi Glover (2002). That wasn't an attempt weeks back to try to orchestrate that where it had to be there for you.

"You don't have a time in free agency where you don't have an opportunity for what fits you to help your team. I haven't experienced it. You're kind of paying a price to push your agenda early. That's pretty obvious, and I say that figuratively and literally.

"If you let it come to you, then you have your best chance at value for the Cowboys."

Jones believes the Cowboys have had, "great success doing it this way" in recent years. He met for several hours on free agency Wednesday morning and said he is up to speed on who is available. Jones said he is ready to act immediately if the situation dictates.

No free-agent visits had been scheduled as of Wednesday evening, but Jones said they will begin soon. He's convinced the Cowboys can still acquire a player who will, "materially impact the success" of the team and is confident there is an opportunity out there that hasn't presented itself yet.

"I'm anticipating some value and opportunity that is not necessarily there right now," Jones said. "Now, if that doesn't show, that will limit what I do."

Limit but not negate. The Cowboys will make a move or two before this free-agency period ends April 15. Learn to be patient.

Jerry has.